Wax applicator



May 26, 1959 H. D. HUTCHINSON WAX APPLICATOR Filed July 22. 1957 INVENTOR. HAROLD D. HUTCHINSON BY 62W 34 ATTOHVEYS 7 2,887,711 n WAX APPLICATOR Harold D. Hutchinson, Santa Monica, Calif.

Application July 22, 1957, Serial No. 673,297

7 4 Claims. c1. 1s 230 This invention relates generally to wax applicating devices and more particularly to an improved ski waxing device for applying both hard and soft waxes to the bottom of skis.

The labor involved in applying wax to any surface is greatly facilitated if the wax can be heatedv just prior to application. To this end, it has been proposed to incorporate heating elements in wax applicator heads such that-"continuous heat is supplied to the wax on the head during application thereof. There still remains the problem, however, of smoothly working the wax onto the surface in a manner -to provide a uniformly even coat; With respect to the specific problem of applying wax to the bottom of skis, it is desirable that the wax coating also be applied to the inner walls of the longitudinal groove or grooves passing down the center of each ski.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide an improved Wax applicating device which not only heats or even partially melts the wax for easy working, but also is designed to facilitate greatly the actual application to the end that a smooth and uniform wax coating results.

These and many other objects and advantages of the present invention are attained by providing in combination a cylindrical type roller mounted on a suitable handle. Electrical heating coils are incorporated in the roller and are energized by conductors passing into the handle to either batteries or other sources of electrical energy. The roller itself includes an outer covering of absorbent material such as felt preferably provided with one or more annular ridge or bead structures intermediate the ends of the covering for enabling simultaneous waxing of the ski groove or grooves along with the remaining ski surface. The provision of the heating coils supplies a controlled heat to the absorbing covering material which is impregnated with the particular wax to be applied to the ski. In use, the roller is simply rolled along the ski surface resulting in the application of an even and uniform wax coating.

A metallic scraper may be supported by the handle and positioned above and in substantially parallel rela tionship with respect to the roller whereby encrusted snow and ice may be removed prior to application of the wax. Further, the roller covering or roller itself may be designed for simple removal from the handle such that several different types of rollers or roller coverings may be made up and easily substituted depending upon the type of wax to be used.

A better understanding of the invention will be had by referring to the accompanying drawing illustrating in cutaway perspective view a preferred embodiment of the ski waxer.

In the drawing, there is illustrated a handle means including a gripping handle 10 and a curved supporting rod 11 formed into a U-shape after its exit point from the handle and thence terminating in a straight end portion 12. The arrangement is such that the handle 2,887,71 l Patented May 26, 1959 10.,falls substantially under the midpoint of the straight end portion of the rod. A roller R is mounted on this straight end portion and includes a series of co-axial structural elements.

In the embodiment chosen for illustrative purposes, the first of these elements comprises a ceramic tube 13 rigidly secured to the rod 12. A cylinder of thermally conductive metal 14 such as aluminum or copper surrounds the ceramic tube. The outer surface of the metal cylinder in turn is provided with a layer of resilient material such as a sponge foam. 15. Finally, an outer covering of absorbent material .16 such as felt is positioned' about the layer of resilient foam. Preferably, this outer covering may include one or more annular ridges or beads intermediate its ends such as indicated at 16'. This ridge of felt is dimensioned to ride within the longitudinal groove passing along the bottom of a ski.

The cylinder 14, layer 15, and outer covering 16 are arranged to rotate about the ceramic tube 13. To facilitate this rotation, the end portions 17 of the ceramic tube may be of increased diameter and provided with smoothly finished surfaces to serve as bearing surfaces with the inside of the cylinder. The rolling friction between the outer covering and surface to which wax is to be applied will cause the rotatably mounted portions of the roller to turn.

As indicated in the drawing, the central portions of the ceramic tube 13 are provided with annular grooves 18 within which suitable electrical heating coils 19 are positioned. Electrical energy for energizing these coils is supplied through a pair of lead-in-conductors passing through the interior of the curved rod 11 as shown at 20 and 21 in the broken away portion. Batteries may be incorporated in the handle 10 for connection to the wires 20 and 21. Alternatively, the handle may include a transformer or rectifier energized from a plug 22 adapted to operate from a conventional 60 cycle, volt source. Still another alternative is to substitute a suitable plug adapted to fit within the cigarette lighters of automobiles. In this latter event, no transformer or rectifier is necessary. These various systems for providing electrical energy to the heating coils 19 are well known in the art and thus are not shown or discussed in detail.

A desirable feature for the ski waxer as shown in the drawing, is the provision of a scraper such as illustrated at 23 secured by a suitable support bracket 24 to the straight end portion 12 of the supporting rod 11. Preferably, the scraper is disposed above the roller in spaced parallel relationship thereto but could be oriented in other positions if desired.

The operation of the ski waxer will be evident from the above description. When it is desired to apply wax to a ski, the ski surface may first be conditioned by the scraper 23 and the heating coils 19 then energized by supplying electrical power to the device in any suitable manner as heretofore set forth. After a few minutes, the heat generated by the coils and radiated to the thermally conductive metallic cylinder 14 will pass through to the outer felt covering 16 and raise the temperature thereof suificiently to soften the wax manually applied to the outer covering. After this covering has been thoroughly impregnated with wax, the roller is simply rolled over the surface of the ski with the annular bead or ridge 16 fitted within the central longitudinal groove of the The provision of the resilient layer of sponge material 15 helps distribute the engaging force of the roller with the ski surface thereby insuring a uniform and even spread of wax over the entire surface of the ski. The manual manipulation of the roller itself is considerably simpler than conventional rubbing operations.

Under certain skiing conditions, diiferent types of wax may be preferable. To this end interchangeable outer coverings may be provided. Alternatively, the entire roller unit may be interchanged by provision of a suitable plug and socket arrangement incorporated in the end rod 12. Further, it is possible'to include a simple thermostat to control the heat and such thermostat may, of course, be adjustable. All such features are Well within the scope of one skilled in the art and are not thought necessary to describe in detail.

From the foregoing description, it will be evident that the .present invention provides a greatly improved wax applicating device. While the invention has been described with respect to waxing skis, it will be evident that the improved combination of electrical heating means and roller type applicator is useful for many dilferent types of jobs in which wax is applied to a surface. The invention is, therefore, not to be thought of as limited to the specific embodiment set forth for illustrative purposes.

What is claimed is: e

l. A ski Waxer comprising, in combination: a handle including a curved support rod having a straight end portion; a roller mounted on said straight end portion, said roller including: a ceramic tubular structuresecured about said straight end portion; electrical resistance Wire incorporated in said ceramic tubular structure; athermally conductive cylinder of metal surrounding said ceramic tubular structure and rotatively supported thereby; and an outer covering of absorbent material surrounding said cylinder and rotatable with said cylinder.

2. The subject matter of claim 1, including an annular layer of resilient material disposed between the outside surface of said thermally conductive metal andthe inside surface of said outer covering.

3. The subject matter of claim 2, including electrical conductors passing from said resistance wire through said curved support rod into said handle; and means for energizing said conductors.

4. A ski waxer comprising, in combination: a handle including a support rod having a straight end portion; a roller mounted on said straight end portion for applying wax; a ceramic tubular structure secured to said straight end portion; electrical resistance wire incorporated in said ceramic tubular structure, said roller comprising a conductive cylinder of metal surrounding at least a portion of said ceramic tubular structure and said straight end portion and rotatively supported by said straight end portion, said roller having a continuously uniform cylindrical outer surface provid ng uniform heat from said electrical resistance wire upon energization thereof to .melt ,said wax; and electrical conductors passing from said resistance'wire through said straight' end'portion and outone ,end of said handle. i i

References Cited in the file ofthis patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 926,245 Coon June 29, 1909 FOREIGN PATENTS 1 13,36O Switzerland Apr. 16, 1926 246,237 Great Britain Jan. 28, 1928 264,939 Switzerland Feb. '16, 1950 661,393 France Mar. 5, 1929 

